This was a vote on the budget proposed by the Congressional Black Caucus (“CBC”), which was offered as a substitute for the Democratic majority-sponsored budget that the House was considering. The CBC budget was based on the Democratic budget, but it also would have immediately repealed the Bush-era tax cuts, and applied the revenue that would have been generated to education, health care, job training, international trade, justice, transportation, and veterans programs. The CBC budget would have reduced funding for the proposed ballistic missile defense system and reallocated that funding to increased Defense Department health care research programs and wounded veterans’ assistance. In addition, it would have reallocated funds to allow the Defense Department to finish implementing recommendations of the Government Accountability Office relating to waste, fraud, and abuse within the department.

Rep. Lee (D-CA), one of the leading supporters of the CBC budget, began her floor statement by saying that “a budget is more than a fiscal document. It really is a moral document. It defines who we are as a Nation. It reflects our priorities and our values. . . .” She noted that the proposed Democratic budget reflects a “shift in priorities away from the failed policies of the previous administration . . . (by) investing in education, health care, clean energy, transportation, and our veterans . . . .”

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) expressed the basis of the Republican opposition to the CBC proposal by characterizing it as “the Democratic budget on steroids--even more spending, even more tax increases, and even more deficits”, and noting that it “really highlights the dramatic differences between the two sides--the priority differences.” He went on to say: “(A)s economic conditions continue to deteriorate for 2009, this budget immediately increases taxes for small businesses and for individuals that are set to expire in 2011. Just like the Democrat's budget, this substitute increases taxes by $1.5 trillion . . . over the next 10 years. Just like the Democrat's budget, this substitute budget increases spending by $18.3 trillion . . . over just the next 5 years. And just like the Democrat's budget, this substitution also increases the national debt to $17 trillion by 2014.”

The proposed budget was defeated by a vote of 113-318. All 113 “aye” votes were cast by Democrats, including the overwhelming majority of the most progressive Members. One hundred and forty-three other Democrats joined all one hundred and seventy-five Republicans and voted “nay”. As a result, the budget proposed by the Congressional Black Caucus was not adopted.